


Treacherous Tales

by missberrycake



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-13
Updated: 2012-03-13
Packaged: 2017-11-01 22:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/361831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missberrycake/pseuds/missberrycake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Eames takes a side. </p><p>Inspired by <a href="http://inception-kink.livejournal.com/20092.html?thread=49854076#t49854076">this prompt</a> on the Inception kink-meme: "They take a job with a new team (post Inception.) Arthur is not very popular for whatever reason (maybe he unknowingly worked against one of them in the past or maybe they just don't like him.) But the rest of the team assumes that Eames feels the same way, and one night they start plotting to betray Arthur. They're going to cut their losses and/or sell him out at the end of the job.</p><p>What I'm really looking for is their collective "OH SHIT" moment when they realize that Eames is not having that shit."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treacherous Tales

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tired, so this might not make sense.

“Right. Guys, I’m going to check out Howe’s work building, alright? I need to know what kind of security they’ve got there.”

Eames waved Arthur off as the he left the room with a swish of his coat. The slamming of the door echoed around the warehouse. 

“Geez, finally.” 

Eames looked up. The words had come from Jackson, the chemist, who was now rolling his eyes at the tall woman acting as extractor for the team. 

Jackson carried on. “Honestly Sarah, if he hadn’t left I think I may have had to kill him. He’s unbelievable.”

Eames scowled and continued to stare. Was he talking about Arthur? As much as he teased the man, Eames had always done it in jest. As he listened to Jackson speak, Eames could feel outrage on Arthur’s behalf welling up inside him.

Mark, the Architect, joined in. “I know. What a control freak – as though everything he does is perfect.”

Sarah snorted. “Christ. How pompous is that guy though? What does he do anyway? The four of us could do this job without him, easily. I think we should just ask him to sling his hook.” She turned to Eames. “You’ve worked with him before, right? Does he actually contribute anything useful?”

Eames’ eyes widened at Sarah’s question. This was ridiculous. “I-”

Jackson interrupted. “I think you’re on to something there.” He leaned forward conspiratorially, “One quarter share is a hell load more than a fifth, even more if you add on ... prize money.”

Eames froze, listening intently to the conversation.

“You want to sell him out?” Sarah added, her voice curious. 

Mark jumped in enthusiastically. “That’s great. We could finish the job and then hand him over to the mark. We’d get twice the pay and he’d be of our hair forever.”

That was the last straw. 

“Well, not that that doesn’t all sound lovely, but you all seem to have forgotten one vital detail.” Eames spoke softly into the quiet of the warehouse, leaning forward in his chair.

“Oh yeah,” Jackson smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, “what’s that?”

Eames stood slowly and walked towards where the other three were standing. “ _That_ is the fact that if you lay one finger on Arthur, or if you make it so other people get to hurt him, I will hunt you down and make you wish you had never been born.” He practically growled. “All three of you need to learn some respect. Arthur is one of the best in the bloody business. You should be thanking you’re lucky stars you get to work with him, you ungrateful, useless, little people.” Eames fumed. 

Sarah was staring, mouth wide open. Mark was frowning in confusion. 

“You actually like that guy?”

Eames chuckled humourlessly. “Compared to what I feel for you people right now, I fucking love him.”

Jackson stepped forward. “Are you for real?”

Eames grimaced. “I’m one-hundred percent for real mate. You can all wave goodbye to your careers once word gets out, I can promise you that.”

Eames turned his back on Jackson, Sarah and Mark, grabbed his coat and walked out of the warehouse. He headed straight for Arthur. 

-

“Job’s off.”

Arthur turned towards Eames with a jolt. “Eames. You’re not supposed to be here. I – wait, what? Why? What did you do?”

Eames took Arthur by the waist and steered him away from his position staking out the mark’s work. 

“ _I_ didn’t do anything, thank you. That team is not worth your time or mine.”

Arthur stopped and pulled away from Eames’ touch. “Really? You think I’m just going to walk away from a pay check as big as this because you say it’s ‘not worth my time’?”

Eames growled slightly, “Arthur.” He ran a hand over his face, “can you just trust me? That entire team is bad news.”

Arthur held Eames’ gaze for a couple of beats before he spoke. “Huh. Alright.” Arthur frowned, “as long as you’re completely sure.” 

Eames breathed a sigh of relief. “Darling, I’m one-hundred percent sure.” He really hadn’t wanted to tell Arthur what had really happened. He wondered when Arthur’s feelings had become so important to him.

“I need to swing by the hotel to pick up my things, but we can hit the road after that?” Arthur spoke casually, as though he hadn’t thrown away week’s worth of work purely on Eames’ word.

“That sounds perfect.” 

And off the two of them went. 

 

_Con-crit is welcome._


End file.
